One Response to “What is the difference between African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church and United Methodist Church?”

There are no VERY big differences as far as I know. The African Methodist Episcopal church is actually a branch off of the original United Methodist Church, probably happening quite some time ago…most likely not too long after the formation of UMC.

As racial interests began to either separate (or solidify) certain groups in established UMCs, it only was a matter of time before established members of UMC (look up Richard Allen) would go their own way to establish AME. You have to consider that both of these religious organization were established back in the 1700s- UMC first, by John Wesley and co-horts- then AME.

As far as I understand, the it was in the interest of the founders of AME to generally practice religion in the same vein as UMC, only they wanted the African experience- hard to find in predominately white churches. Note, the AME was founded in America during a time when African Americans and Black Americans were struggling to keep their identities, and sometime to learn more about their identities, or ancestries- probably not easy in the white-founded UMC of the day.